Memories Of Crookshanks
by TheNameOfARiver
Summary: Crookshanks goes down his memory lane.
Disclaimer : All characters and Potterverse belongs to wonderful JK Rowling, I'm just playing in her sandbox.

 _ **A/N: There's a fan theory Crookshanks was actually Lily Potter's pet cat. And from there came this one shot. It has implied Harmony so who do not like H/Hr sorry people.**_

* * *

 **Memories of The Mighty Crookshanks**

~The 94th River II

It had been years since Crookshanks had been a cub. During those days he used to live in that shop in Diagon Alley where other cubs like him were kept for sale. When their batch had been put forward for sale, most of his littermates had been taken away very soon. But he had to wait for nearly two years, before his mistress found him.

It was her fifth year at Hogwarts, Lily Evans had been chosen as the fifth year prefect. To celebrate her achievement, her parents had decided to allow her to get a pet. When she entered The Magical Menageries she was overwhelmed by the astounding collection of pets, there was varieties of cats, toads and other birds, at one corner there was also glass jars full of colourful fishes. For a few moment Lily couldn't decide what to choose and what not. She always wanted a cat so she started to browse selves housing kittens. There were number off purring kittens, who were mewling around the protected area. One of them attracted her attention, it was a rather large in size,probably older too. It was not a kitten but a cat. It had brilliant orange fur on she approached it the cat sat a bit straighter and blinked at her for a few times, then it raised one of it's front paw and reached out for her. She had never heard of a cat who did anything like this. She was practically stunned.

Crookshanks was prepared for another usual day of his life i.e. get looked at and then being rejected, when the auburn haired witch came in front of their self. There was something strange about this human, he felt a strange pull toward her. He sat up straighter and instinctively reached for her with his paw. The witch had noticed him too, she also extended her hand to him, he touched her finger tips with his paw and a sudden warmth washed over him.

Lily actually felt a bit stupid when she at first extended her hand toward the cat. The cat in question touched her fingertips with his claw, she didn't knew but from somewhere a warmth washed over her.

"Astounding! Brilliant! " She whirled back to the source of the exclamations, to find the old alalmost ancient shop owner. He had a enthusiastic look in his eyes, " In all my years I never saw a familiar bond to take place in frint of my eyes!" He clapped his hands like a toddler who'd been told that Christmas had come early.

"I don't understand sir, what are you talking about? " Lily asked the man.

"Let me introduce myself properly miss, I am Michael, I own the shop and my family is in this business for three generations. But in all my life I never witnessed a familiar bonding. That is the incident just happened between you and that cub over there."

"Umm, sorry. I didn't mean to do it sir." Lily replied.

"Oh miss never feel sorry for doing nothing! It was both of your magic that decided to bond you to. He's now your familiar. You can take him with you." Michael replied smiling.

"Really?" Lily was excited now, "How much I have to pay for him, sir?"

"Usually we charge five galleons for a kneazle, but in your case miss I can not charge you. " Michael replied.

"Why not? I'll pay, I won't take it for free!"

"He was meant for you, it's a great opportunity in my part to house in my place till his human turned up. And my grandfather once said, "Never charge for a familiar." Michael paused, "While you can pay for his supplies such as foods, care kit, carrier etc."

"Oh, I see." Lily nodded understandingly. Then she smiled, "Ok, I'll take him."

* * *

After that day Crookshanks' life was goog. Lily, his mistress even understood his emotions and his thoughts. She even named him. She cared for him, adored him and in change he protected her, during night patrols through corridors of Hogwarts he always followed her. There had been many cases when many disreputated Slytherins found their way to Madam Pomfrey's care.

Then his mistress had chosen her mate, a human who could change himself into a stag. His mistress was so happy, after her school was finished his mistress, Lily and her mate, James get married. Those were dark days, he could feel anxiety in Lily everyday, the dark one loomed over good people. His mistress and her mate often came home discussing about perilous fates of other humans.

Then one morning he could sense a third presence in their home, his mistress Lily was going to have little ones! He was overjoyed, though his mistress and her mate didn't understand reason for his happiness unless they visited a healer. They all were happy.

His master, as he'd taken to think of James lately often invited his friends and Mistress's parents. His friends, they were fun, though one of them had been cursed by child of moon, they were great, except one. The rat man. Crookshanks never liked him. Despite being a dog, Sirius was not that bad. After few months they'd accepted each other. He often gave him table scraps when they were visiting, his master James used to eat The cursed one was gentle, he even gave him presents! But the ratman was not good. He knew it, he was touched by the dark one.

Then one day the young one was born, he had a tiny body, not much larger that Crookshanks's own. Crookshanks had never seen an human child before. His mistress had named him Harry. He loved Harry so much.

There were times when Lily often found her son, Harry and her familiar Crookshanks in various amusing positions. One day she couldn't find her familiar anywhere in the house, but she could feel via their bond that he was happy, after looking around al the house she went to nursery to find Harry sleeping while clutching Crookshanks' bushy tail in his tiny hand. Her familiar half kneazle was not annoyed at all he was spread over Harry's legs and both were fast asleep.

Then one day, just after Harry's first birthday, she and James had went out on Order business, Sirius was supposed to babyseat Harry that noon. When they returned home, they found Sirius was in his canine form with Harry sleeping on his soft furry belly but that wasn't enough Crookshanks was curled around Harry too! James often joked about his son being a ringmaster! Harry had a wolf, a grimm, a half kneazle amd a stag wrapped around his fingers so much that he could have make them do anything.

Though Crookshanks hated it when Harry flew around the room on his toy broomstick. Crookshanks hated flying as much she did. Oneday Harry actually managed to touch Crookshanks's tail while on broom, the then terrified half kneazle leaped so hard that it broke one of the vases.

Crookshanks knew despite all happiness in their life, his mistress was afraid for her child. The dark one was afrer him. One evening his mistress did something in little Harry's room, she cut her hand to drew some blood, then she mixed with some potions she had brew, then she drew a single rune on Harry's forhead and then started drawing more runes on Harry's crib. Crookshanks watched it all intently, he knew from their bond, mistress was doing this to save the little one. Lily looked up at Crookshanks and said, " My dear friend, you've been my companion for seven years now. The dark one looms in shadow to hurt our family, to destroy us, I don't know how long we'll be together but remember Crookshanks, I love you too. If it'll be possible please keep Harry safe." A lone tear trickled down Lily's cheek.

Days went by and at last most fateful day in Crookshanks's life came. It was the day his mistress and master called Halloween. He was in drawing room with his family. When suddenly he heard the front door explode. James panicked, "Lily take Harry and go! I'll hold him. The rat has betrayed us!"

His mistress ran upto nursery with the little one clutched to her breast, she tried to aparate but didn't succeeded, she took a hold of him and tried to activate her Portkey, but alas, it was a futile attempt. Lily was crying, she put Harry into the crib, Crookshanks curled around him, she kept sobbing, "Harry, mumma loves you. Dada loves you. Stay safe Harry! "

Then there was a huge blast at the door of the room and the dark onw stepped into thw room. Crookshanks saw helplessly as his mistress tried ti beg for her son's life but the dark one killed her! He felt as if part of him died. Little one was crying so hard but he didn't had anyone to console him. The dark one raised his wand and a green curse rushed toward them. It touched Harry in face and reflected right to the dark one, the dark one was surprised. When the curse hit him he exploded and that was the last thing Crookshanks saw before his world went dark.

* * *

When Crookshanks regained his sensess there was no one in the house. Not even little Harry, he practically went mad. He could smell him upto the front lawn but his smell vanished right off the street. He didn't knew how he was taken too Magical Menageries again. But the shop owner there recognised him and helped him getting healed. Crookshanks again got his spot on the selves few months later.

Nobody wanted to take him, and he was perfectly fine with it. He didn't wanted to go with anyone. He wanted to find his Harry, he wanted to keep mistress Lily's young one safe. He had failed her he didn't deserbed to be taken care of.

Days went by, then months turned into years. Twelve long years later, Crookshanks still was in Magical menageries, and he still scared off the potential customers. Old Michael had died couple of years back. From then the new shopowner didn't liked him,he hated him. And Crookshanks hated him too because the human had darwd to laugh at his name!

One summer morning he sat it his private shelf in the shop when three yound human walked intobthe shop. One of them who had same hair as Crookshanks placed a filthy rat in the counter and started to complain. For a moment Crookshanks didn't paid attention, but then he recognised that creature! It was the traitorous ratman! He jumped off his shelf directly on the filthy creature! The coward rat squeaked and leaped off the counterr. The lanky ginger boy cursed him and ran behind the rat man. He then looked uo at his spectators, there was a girl with kind eyes and bushy brown hair and a skinny boy with black hair that went everywhere, and sparkling green eyes. Those were his mistress's eyes! He knew them, then this boy was Harry! He'd grown up so much Crookshanks almost didn't recognised him! The shopkeeper was going on about how nobody wanted to take Crookshanks and all. The girl skooped him up in her arms. She said the shopkeeper "I'll take him."

* * *

Now years later today Crookshanks was seated in front of the fireplace, on just vacated seat of his mistress Hermione, as she ran to her daughter's nursery to feed her. They now lived in a nice cozy two stored house near Forest of Dean.

Here he lived with Harry and Hermione, they had decided to make their new home in here, as after the war their life had been so hectic. Nobody actually knew where they actually lived. His mistress Hermione is as much smart as mistress Lily, it was her plan to officially living in Grimauld Place but they used a one way floo connection to reach here, which only could be accessed from Grimauld Place. After two years of their marriage ast spring , young Rose Lily Potter was born. And when Hermione first brought Rose to their home Crookshanks felt, as if at last his mistress Lily had come home.

Crookshanks slowly drifted through his memory lane recollecting all the fond memories. He hadn't been this much happy in years, tomorrow is Christmas. Harry had gone for a emergency call from DOM. Hermione was up in the nursery and he knew from his familiar bond with her that she was with another little one on the way. Life was good. Soon ther would be many little one to play with. Crookshanks shifted and drifted to sleep.

 **Finished**

A/N: Well I hope atleast some people liked it. It's my second fanfic. I thought after the "Through the Erised" I needed to write something lighthearted. So here it is. Please read and review.


End file.
